The present invention relates to arch or foot supports for insertion in footwear in order to provide better comfort and more correct positioning and support of the wearer""s feet.
Many individuals who are on their feet or walking for significant periods of time encounter the problems of pain and sore feet usually associated with uncomfortable footwear. Such problems often arise as a result of insufficient arch support in conventional shoes and other footwear. Thus, various types of shoe inserts have been devised in order to alleviate such problems. Some inserts consist only of a foam or padded cushion member or insole, and provide no arch support. It is also known to provide more sophisticated arch supports formed of molded rigid or semirigid materials, such as plastic, and these are sometimes custom-fitted to the individual, which makes them relatively expensive. Also, the rigid nature of such arch supports can itself lead to some discomfort. In some cases, a leather upper layer is applied to the top surface of the arch support, but this device may still not be particularly comfortable in some cases. A layered arch support device is also known which has a lower, rigid plastic layer, a second or core layer of foam material, and an upper leather layer. However, this becomes fairly thick and bulky at the toe and may cause problems in inserting the foot into the shoe.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved arch support for insertion in footwear.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an arch support device is provided, which comprises a first, lower layer of a rigid or semirigid material shaped to conform to the arch of a wearer""s foot and to provide an arch supporting function when inserted in a shoe, the lower layer having a lower face for facing the sole of an item of footwear and an upper face, a second layer of cushioning material secured to the upper face of the lower layer, and a third, cover layer of pliable material secured over the second layer, the device having a heel region at one end, and arch region, and a toe region at an opposite end, the cushioning layer being of variable thickness and having a maximum thickness in the heel region and a minimum thickness at the toe region.
The cover layer may be of a relatively smooth, moisture-resistant material such as leather or fabric, while the cushioning layer may be of foam. In an exemplary embodiment, the inner layer is of substantially rigid, molded plastic material. With this arrangement, the inner layer provides adequate support for the arch of the foot, while the upper cushioning and cover layers make the arch support more comfortable for the wearer. In an exemplary embodiment, the foam layer is tapered to reduce in thickness to a minimum thickness in the toe region which is of the order of 25% to 75% of the maximum thickness.
The arch support device will be made for fitting left and right footwear, and in different sizes to accommodate the standard range of footwear sizes. The device may have an outer periphery designed to substantially match that of the sole of the footwear in which it is to be inserted, or may extend over only part of the sole, from the heel region up to a point adjacent the wearer""s toes. The second, cushioning layer and upper cover layer may be of slightly larger dimensions than the rigid, arch support layer such that a cushioning rim portion projects a short distance beyond the rim of the rigid lower layer, for added comfort of the wearer, such that their feet will not bear against any rigid part of the support device.
By tapering the foam layer from the heel to the toe, the region of maximum thickness is associated with the maximum pressure regions of the wearer""s sole when standing or walking. At the same time, the reduced thickness at the toe provides more rigid support, and also enables the foot to enter the shoe more easily with the arch support in place.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an arch support device is provided, which comprises the steps of:
forming a molded, rigid or semirigid plastic lower layer having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower layer being shaped to conform to the shape of at least part of a wearer""s foot in order to provide an arch support when worn in footwear;
roughening the upper surface of the plastic lower layer;
applying adhesive to the roughened upper surface;
securing a cushioning layer to the adhesive on the roughened upper surface; and
securing a cover layer on top of the cushioning layer.
The cover layer may be secured to the cushioning layer either before or after securing the cushioning layer to the roughened upper surface of the plastic lower layer. The upper surface of the plastic layer may be roughened by any suitable technique, such as sand blasting.
The arch support device of this invention will provide a good support for the arch of the wearer""s foot while still providing cushioning and comfort in regions of maximum pressure. The device is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can be made in all appropriate arch support sizes.